International Conference Antwerp, 12-13 December 2012
woensdag, 12 december 2012 - 9:00
20 years of Habitats Directive: European Wildlife’s Best Hope?
Verslag
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The Habitats Directive forms the cornerstone of Europe’s nature conservation policy. It is built around two pillars: the Natura 2000 network of protected sites and the strict system of species protection. More than 18% of the surface of the EU is a part of the Natura 2000 network whereas over hundreds of animal and plant species are protected by the provisions of article 12 and 16 of the Habitats Directive. Yet, at its 20th Birthday, there seems little to no reason to cheer. At present only 17% of the protected habitats and species are in a favourable conservation status. According to IUCN Red List, 10 to 60 % of animal species, depending on the monitored groups, are threatened in Europe. This conference aims at assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Habitats Directive in the light of the European ‘no net loss’ approach. In this respect focus will not only rest on the existing threats to biodiversity (e.g. nitrogen deposit) but also on new challenges, such as climate change and invasive alien species. Is the Habitats Directive robust enough to tackle these new and existing threats or do we need other or better legal instruments ?
Although the conference will mainly be dedicated to legal issues, it will not lose sight of the broader, more multidiscplinary ecological context. On day one of the conference there will be a particular emphasis on the legal regime attached to the Natura 2000 network, the strict prescriptions for species protection and the relationship between the Habitats Directive and some transversal issues, such as ecological damage and transboundary nature conservation. Day two will kick off with two parallel sessions. The first parallel session will be dedicated to science-policy issues whereas the second will tackle nature conservation in the marine environment. During the afternoon session, the lack of integration of nature conservation in other European policy areas will be looked into in more detail. The conference will conclude with some reflections on new possible legal instruments for halting the loss of biodiversity.
| 08u30 |
Welcome by |
| I. Back to the roots: the ecological origins of the Habitats Directive | |
| 09h00 | Introduction [EU] Janez Potočnik, Commissionner for the Environment (*) |
| 09h10 |  Global objectives and scope of the Habitats Directive: what does the obligation of result mean in practice?[FR] Marc Clément, Administrative Court of appeal of Lyon |
| 09h40 |  The added value of the Habitats Directive: is biodiversity in a better conservation status since the Habitats Directive has entered into force?[EU] Carlos Romao, European Environmental Agency |
| 10h10 | Questions |
| 10h20 | Coffee break |
| II. Natura 2000: protecting and enhancing the world’s biggest ecological network | |
| 10h40 |  Sites selection, designation and evolution: how coherent is the Natura 2000 network?[NL] Hans Woldendorp, Dutch Ministry of Environment and Infrastructure |
| 11h00 |  Conservation objectives and site’s management planning: is there a need for an integrated, ecosystem approach? (no presentation)[FR] Lucile Stahl, Institut de droit de l’environnement de l’Université Lyon 3 |
| 11h20 | Questions |
| 11h30 |  Instruments for sites active management of Natura 2000 sites: balancing between stakeholders and nature conservation?[ES] Agustin Garcia Ureta, Universidad del País Vasco |
| 11h50 |  Existing activities and projects in Natura 2000 sites: legal certainty versus nature conservation?[BE] Hendrik Schoukens, Ghent University |
| 12h10 | Questions |
| 12h20 | Lunch |
| 13h30 |  Appropriate Impact Assessment: the key to effective integration of nature conservation issues into land use planning ? (no presentation)[BE] Francis Haumont, Université Catholique de Louvain |
| 13h50 |  Compensatory measures under art. 6 (4) of the Habitats Directive: no net loss for Natura 2000?[GB] Donald McGillivray, Kent Law School |
| 14h10 | Questions |
| III. Species protection: the “forgotten part” of the Habitats Directive | |
| 14h20 |  Species protection under European law: how strict is strict?[NL] Kees Bastmeijer, Tilburg University |
| 14h40 |  The impact of species protection on land use planning: towards a more proactive approach?[EU] Christoph Sobotta, European Court of Justice (*) |
| 15h00 |  Trade in wild species: the difficult relationship between nature conservation and the free movement of goods[BE] Nicolas De Sadeleer, Facultés Universitaires St.-Louis |
| 15h20 | Questions |
| 15h40 | Coffee break |
| IV. Transversal issues: the Habitats Directive and its neighbours | |
| 16h00 |  Liability for ecological damage: the added value of the Environmental Damage Directive for nature conservation?[GB] Valerie Fogleman, Stevens & Bolton LLP |
| 16h20 |  Property rights vs. nature conservation: an never-ending battle?[DE] Gerd Winter, University of Bremen |
| 16h40 | Questions |
| 16h50 |  The enforcement challenge : how to fill the gap between theory and practice?[DE] Ludwig Kramer, College of Brugge, Client Earth |
| 17h10 |  Transboundary nature conservation: are there no boundaries within the Natura 2000 network?[PT] Alexandra Aragão, Universidade de Coimbra |
| 17h30 | Questions |
| 18h00 | Conference dinner |
Registration and Welcome Coffee,| 08h30 | Registration and Welcome Coffee | ||
| V. Science-policy and nature conservation: best friends forever? (Parallel Session 1) | V. Nature conservation@sea: a brave new world? (Parallel Session 2) | ||
| 09h00 | Restoring nature in the EU: the only way is up? [BE] An Cliquet, Ghent University | 09h00 | Maritime spatial planning: will there still be some space left for nature? |
| 09h20 | Connectivity: is Natura 2000 only an ecological network on paper? [NL] Jonathan Verschuuren, Tilburg University | 09h30 | Natura 2000@sea: towards a well-managed marine ecological network? [NL] Thomas Rammelt, Stichting de Noordzee |
| 09h40 | Questions | ||
| 09h50 | Habitats Directive and climate change: can the law really tackle ecological dynamics? [NL] Arie Trouwborst, Tilburg University | 09h50 | Natura 2000 and fisheries: a question of competence or willingness? [NL] Harm Dotinga, Utrecht University |
| 10h10 | Invasive alien species prevention, control and eradication: mission impossible? [BE] Delphine Misonne, Facultés Universitaires St.-Louis | 10h10 | Questions |
| 10h30 | Questions | ||
| 10h40 | Coffee break | ||
| 11h00 | Monitoring biodiversity: how to integrate science into decision making? [BE] Gerald Louette, Flemish Research Institute for Nature and Forest | 11h00 | Harbours and Natura 2000: new avenues for both sides? [NL] Frank Neumann, Institute for Infrastructure, Environment and Innovation |
| 11h20 | Scientific uncertainty, precaution and adaptive management: how to cope with the unknown ? [FR] Eve Truilhe-Marengo, CNRS/Université Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III | 11h20 | Marine species protection and management: who will save our dolphins? [GB] Sandy Luk, Client Earth |
| 11h40 | Coexistence between humans and large carnivores: rewilding Europe? [SE] Jan Darpö, Uppsala University | 11h40 | Enforcement@sea: expect the unexpected? |
| 12h00 | Questions | 12h00 | Questions |
| 12h15 | Lunch | ||
| VI. The integration of nature conservation in other policy areas: 20 years of solitude? | |||
| 13h30 | Nature conservation, agriculture and forestry: how to really green the CAP? [FR] Isabelle Doussan, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis | ||
| 13h50 |  Nature conservation and water management: one battle?[BE] Peter De Smedt, LDR Advocaten - Ghent University | ||
| 14h10 | Questions | ||
| 14h20 |  Nitrogen deposition and Natura 2000: what can we learn from the Dutch approach?[BE] Chris Backes, Maastricht University | ||
| 14h40 |  Nature outside protected areas: an outlaw waiting to be saved?[BE] Geert Van Hoorick, Ghent University | ||
| 15h00 | Questions | ||
| 15h10 | Coffee break | ||
| VII. New approaches to nature conservation: a quick glance at the future? | |||
| 15h30 |  Green Infrastructure and integrated planning: towards a broader and integrated conservation strategy ?[BE] Charles-Hubert Born, Université Catholique de Louvain | ||
| 16h10 | Questions | ||
| 16h20 |  Temporary nature: is European conservation law ready for it?[BE] Jeroen Panis, Agentschap Natuur en Bos | ||
| 16h40 |  Habitat banking: will the markets save our species?[DE] Moritz Reese, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Liepzig | ||
| 17h00 | Questions | ||
| 17h20 |  General conclusions[EU] Stefan Leiner, European Commission (*) | ||